“Zankey ga gana albeeri fonda. Children will follow the path of the elders.” — Songhay saying
Let’s “listen to the elders’ philosophy”, where we can learn from their enterprising spirits,
courageous mindsets and self-affirming souls.
The Power of Four Score celebrates the pathways and choices made by stellar change agents. This dialogue is being crafted as a testament to the urgency for remodelling formulaic approaches and reviewing tried-and-tested processes, to envision the future, forge action, reset our deliverables, and chart a repurposed life chance.
Sustainability is indeed vital, therefore invoking diversification strategies which adopt alternative practices and adapt to ingenious design thinking are becoming more and more paramount. In a post-pandemic civilisation, some degree of retooling is necessitated in order to negotiate a sense of centre and navigate in the interest of stability, so with this in mind, the true value of this initiative can be highly underscored.
For 2022, the Oxygen with Nicole (O2N) Foundation is hosting one of their Human Development Talks, at the Hyatt Regency, on the 25th of September at the Port of Spain Ballroom, from 4 pm. This time round, the conversation highlights the indomitable essences of stalwart citizens, over the age of eighty. The underpinning is to revisit the pioneering deposits made by these champions, in an effort to withdraw valuable nuggets that can modify and shape perspectives, going forward, in post-Covid times.
The O2N Foundation
The Oxygen with Nicole (O2N) Foundation is a non-profit organisation which has taken up the charge of creating safe space events and activities designed to foster creative entrepreneurship agenda, facilitate social transformation, dialogue and formulate human development prospects.
The organisation is chaired by Nicole Dyer-Griffith with creative direction executed by Richard Young. The O2N Foundation has had an extraordinary track record of philanthropic initiatives and exemplary creative sector engagements that have impacted, substantively, the socio-cultural landscape, regionally, with forays in Antigua, Guyana, New York, Tobago and several instalments, here in Trinidad.
What to expect?
The Power of Four Score will explore viewpoints and posit options onto the current menu of choices, so as to regauge and manoeuvre in the ongoing readjustment climate, all in an effort to reset/pivot/diversify methodologies, ultimately, applying an added value, to claim an empowering space and to be guided by a trustworthy premise. What is hoped for, is a return to a former inherent human communication value, a reapplication of an indigenous transfer of wisdom, an upcycling of the natural transmission through oral tradition, a rethinking of the original listen-to-one’s-elders philosophy - the Griot dynamic - the skill and the ability to bring a sense of wellbeing through storytelling.
The discourse highlights these trailblazing forerunners, how they grappled with conflict, confronted adversity, engineered change, pushed the envelope, imagined out-of-the-box formulae, orchestrated value-added prospects, reevaluated existing format, problem-solve outdated constraints, brainstormed relevant variations and conceptualised requisite orientations, how they “upped the ante”, all devising evolutionary, sometimes revolutionary, modes of conduct within a (post) colonial context.
The wisdom within their journeys
These are the universal, subliminal messaging from which we can glean best-practice enactment, mobilise best-policy amendments and transform socio-cultural dynamics. We can learn from their enterprising spirit, their courageous mindsets and their self-affirming souls. They all have authentic stories to tell, from which we can be enriched. They have always been ‘pivoting’, so to speak, to maintain purpose, reinvent self, stay relevant and dynamise foresight to muster interest, cosset appeal and emblazon integrity. Their impact matters! Herein lies the Power of Four Score.
In the final analysis, their longevity, as valid contributors, testifies to the sustainability of their influence and the worth and quality of their service to human development, having gone past the nominal span of human life, ‘three score and ten’.
The Power of Four Score exalts not only their survival stamina, through their irrepressible conviction but honours their staying power, and above all, dignifies their identity branding prowess as worthy sounding boards for reshaping our world, just as they did back in their own coming-of-age biographies.
Amplifying the power - the power of game-changing octogenarians, is opportune at this time that we celebrate 60 years as an Independent nation and 46 years since our Parliament first convened under a Republic status.
ALL are welcome to experience this journey through the eyes of those who have arrived and surpassed ~ THE POWER OF FOUR SCORE.
Sunday 25th September, 2022 Hyatt Regency Trinidad. 4:00 p.m.
To Register call: 321-8064 or email o2nfoundation@outlook.com
There is LIMITED SEATING, so book your seats now.
There is no cover admission.
Simply doing our part to preserve our National Heritage and Greatness.
Hazel Brown
For decades, Hazel Brown has been the media’s go-to person on women’s rights and has been a vocal advocate for consumer rights. Through her organisation the Network of NGOs for the Advancement of Women, she has brought public attention to a number of gender issues, including the representation of women in the political process. In 2011 she was honoured with the Medal for the Development of Women (Gold) for her dedicated work in advancing women’s rights and issues.
She has spent at least four decades in civic activism, on issues ranging from women’s health to community and consumer rights, from sustainable food provision, including solar cooking, to women’s political participation and leadership.
Diana Mahabir-Wyatt
She is a certified Psychometric Testing specialist and has been trained in Domestic Violence counseling and in Executive Coaching by the Institute of Executive Coaching in California, USA. In 2001 she got her M.Sc. (Edu) from CSUH, specializing in online education and adult learning, and in 2012 was awarded an LLD (Doctorate of Laws – honoris causa) from the University of the West Indies.
She gave assistance to employers’ federations throughout the Caribbean in industrial relations, management training, labour legislation and human resource development.
She is deeply involved in community development work, serving on the Boards of Directors of Servol, the Rape Crisis Society/Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Trinidad and” Tobago Coalition for the Rights of the Child, Childline, and the Caribbean Center for Human Rights.
Dr. Yvonne Bobb-Smith
She is an independent writer and editor. She is a counsellor, educator and a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Humanists Association. She is an academic and author of the compelling book, ‘I know who I am: A Caribbean Woman’s Identity in Canada’. She is very passionate. She has been a lecturer, for a number of years, using critical thinking to guide her students to recognise, respect and celebrate diversity. Her passion for volunteerism in community development has been focused on social justice activism and women’s empowerment.
Feroza (Rose) Mohammed
Feroza Mohammed, a 2006 Hummingbird Medal (Gold) recipient for meritorious public service, describes herself as Muslim, Trinidadian, passionate, simple, humble, service-oriented, empathetic and tolerant. Most of all, Rose embodies the elusive spirit of the transformative leader.
She is the Founder of the National Muslim Women’s Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago, more than 20 years ago, and shared her expertise serving with several NGOs and community groups. She is the author of Speak Out which courses her interpretation of contemporary Muslim women’s activism. Mohammed takes pride in the fact that she is a Western Muslim. “I do not pretend that I have come from the Middle East. I am an Indo-Trinidadian and I dress, act and enjoy Islam in this country’s culture and environment.
Rhona Baptiste
Retired educator, former journalist and editor, she is the author of several books, spanning biographies, cookbooks and dictionaries of Trinidad and Tobago culture. She was an English teacher to college students in mainland China for over a decade. Currently, she hosts a podcast called Senior Moments, documenting perspectives from senior nationals.
In addition to these trailblazers, some of the other speakers sharing their wisdom are :
- Gerard Hadeed
- Albert La Veau
- Earl Lovelace
- Dr Edmund Chamely
- Ferdie Ferreira